Florida State Football: 2026 Seminoles Season Preview and Prediction
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Head coach Mike Norvell enters his seventh season at Florida State firmly on the hot seat. The Seminoles have missed the postseason four times in the past six years and are just 7-18 overall since being infamously snubbed from the College Football Playoff after the 2023 regular season. The schedule does Norvell no favors. FSU faces Alabama in Tuscaloosa after hosting SMU on Labor Day. There is also a pair of two-game road trips to grapple with, and it’s been more than two years since the program won outside of Doak Campbell Stadium. In the end, Florida State’s lack of urgency to invest in a top quarterback transfer will likely come back to bite Norvell, who might be gearing up for his final chance to right the ship.
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Florida State Football: 2026 Seminoles Season Preview and Prediction
Previewing Florida State’s Offense for 2026
Florida State is breaking in a new starting quarterback for the third consecutive season and is tasked with replacing its entire offensive line for the second straight year. Transfer quarterback Ashton Daniels has been inconsistent throughout his college career, but he had some promising flashes in limited action at Auburn in 2025.
The Seminoles do bring some promising playmakers to the table. Duce Robinson and Micahi Danzy could blossom into one of the best wide receiver duos in the country. Robinson is coming off a 1,000-yard season, while Danzy’s explosiveness leaves opposing defenses in the dust.
FSU has a three-headed monster at running back with Texas transfer Quintrevion Wisner joining Ousmane Kromah and Samuel Singleton Jr. It’s a group that will give opposing defenses fits.
Related: ACC Football Predictions for 2026
Previewing Florida State’s Defense for 2026
The Seminoles revamped their defense over the offseason, bringing in multiple transfers to fortify the unit. The added talent in the middle will help shore up a weakness from a year ago. Southern Miss transfer Chris Jones was among the top-10 tacklers in the FBS in 2025, and North Carolina transfer Mikai Gbayor has previous experience playing under defensive coordinator Tony White when both were at Nebraska.
Florida State has questions in the trenches, although the team did retain twin defensive linemen Darryll and Desir Mandrell. Daniel Lyons has grown into a leader in the middle. Rylan Kennedy (Texas A&M) was the only defensive end the Seminoles added through the transfer portal.
On the back end, cornerback Ja’Bril Rawls and rover Ashlynd Barker are two crucial pieces to the success of the unit.
Related: ACC Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2026
Previewing Florida State’s Specialists for 2026
This unit is relatively unknown, as former Oklahoma State kicker Gabe Panikowski and former New Mexico punter Daniel Hughes transferred to Tallahassee, along with North Dakota State long-snapper Caleb Bowers. The options in the return game are intriguing, with dynamic threats such as Singleton, Danzy, Jasen Lopez and Devin Carter.
National Ranking: 48
ACC Prediction: 11
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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